Elementary Schools in Randolph County

Randolph County, Alabama, is home to four elementary-level schools—Woodland Elementary School, Wedowee Elementary School, Wedowee Middle School, and Rock Mills Junior High School—serving grades Pre-K through 8th, with enrollments ranging from 177 to 338 students in a rural district that ranks in the 34th percentile statewide.

For parents, the standout choice is Woodland Elementary School, which earns a 3-star rating and a 59th percentile state ranking—far ahead of its peers. It excels in English Language Arts, with proficiency rates between 62% and 82% across grades 3-6, and it also has the lowest poverty rate (50.59% free/reduced lunch) in the district. In contrast, Rock Mills Junior High School is the most concerning, with a 1-star rating and a three-year decline from the 40th to the 19th percentile. Despite spending the most per student ($11,453) and having the smallest class sizes (14.7:1), its math proficiency in grades 3-7 ranges from just 6.25% to 21.43%. Wedowee Middle School and Wedowee Elementary School both hold 1-star ratings, with the latter only serving through 3rd grade but showing respectable early performance (63.49% English proficiency).

One surprising finding is that chronic absenteeism doesn't predict success: Rock Mills Junior High School has the lowest absenteeism rate (2.6%) yet the worst academics, while Wedowee Elementary School has the highest (20.7%) but performs reasonably in 3rd grade. Mathematics is a district-wide weakness, with all schools lagging in math compared to English. However, Rock Mills Junior High School shows an 8th-grade anomaly—41.67% math and 91.67% English proficiency—suggesting a strong teaching team or cohort. Overall, Randolph County faces significant challenges, but Woodland's success offers a model for improvement.